WEAPONS OF MASS CONSTRUCTION

Thursday 24 April

“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His GRACE, which is able to BUILD you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Acts 20:32 (NKJV)

But you, beloved, BUILD yourselves up [founded] on your most holy FAITH [[a]make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit; Jude 1:20 (AMPC)

Did you know you have been giving two construction methods with which to build your life? The Word of God and praying in the Spirit. Let’s dig a little deeper to find out more. In our opening scripture the word ‘build’ in Greek is ‘epoikodomeo’ constructed from ‘epi’ which means on or upon and ‘oikodomeo’ which means to edify or embolden. In other words to build up or upon something in order to become courageous about it. That something is the Word of God, in particular the word of His grace.

In our second scripture we see the exact same word (epoikodomeo) used for the phrase ‘building up’. Remember it is talking about your life being built higher by praying in the Holy Ghost. Notice that GRACE AND FAITH are the two spiritual elements that are involved in the building of ourselves in Christ. So the Word and praying in tongues builds you up spiritually.

A lot of folks want to be built up on the foundation of Christ but neglect the only two definite ways for that to happen in their lives. The word of His grace builds you up. For what reason?

The next part of the verse makes it clear, ‘to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified’. To be more precise, it is to grow you to spiritual adulthood so you can be delivered into your inheritance.

Galatians 4:1 says, ‘Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,’

It’s not that your inheritance doesn’t belong to you, there needs to be personal development in grace to be built up to the point where you can enjoy your benefits as a rightful son in God’s household. While you are childish, you are more like a servant or slave. When you reach maturity you are able to take possession of all that belongs to you in Christ.

The second thing that builds you is clear. Speaking in tongues. The Bible calls it ‘filled with the Spirit’ ‘utterance’ or the ‘tongues of angels’ to name just a few. Take note of what speaking in tongues does for your spirit. You are built up ON your most holy faith. There are a couple of things going on here.

Firstly, you are rising higher on the foundation of faith who is Christ Himself. Secondly, every time we exercise that faith, we increase the highest point of faith. Then when we pray in tongues, we build a platform there. So what used to be the ceiling now becomes the floor of your next level, literally.

Most believers don’t realise, but the whole Christian experience is supposed to be by grace through faith. Grace is multiplied to us through the knowledge of God and increased capacity to exercise faith is directly related to praying or speaking in tongues. The theological law of emphatic mention proves beyond all doubt in 1 Corinthians 14 that ‘praying with our spirit’ is authentic and should be a part of every Christian’s daily experience.

How about you? Are you taking advantage of these building materials in your own life? I hope that you are encouraged to spend more time in Word study, meditation and speaking in tongues to continue to move up upward from glory to glory.

Remember He is the foundation. We are the ones to build upon Him continuing by grace through faith. What are you going to do with these weapons of mass construction? It’s up to you.

APPLICATION

Set aside time in your day to be built up in the word of His grace and speak in tongues regularly to be built up on your most holy faith.